


Five Deals With The Dark One

by imgilmoregirl



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-03-16 00:29:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13624707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imgilmoregirl/pseuds/imgilmoregirl
Summary: The Miller’s Daughter AU: Belle is locked in a dungeon by Gaston’s father, the king and asked to turn straw into gold, just like her father swore she knew how to do. Rumplestiltskin comes at her rescue, but each night he asks her something in exchange for his help and each night his price gets higher.





	1. A Necklace and a Ring

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Once Upon A Time or any of the characters and storylines in the show. This is just a fanwork made for fun.
> 
> Hello, my dears! I wasn’t going to post it just now because I have two WIPs to finish before I got to be carried on my another, but I’ve written this experimental first chapter out of my best mood, so I’m publishing and I really hope you enjoy it. I’ll start with updates when I’m finished with The Parent Trap, which will probably will only take another couple of weeks. But this is one of the plots I’ve asked you guys to choose from and it was really exciting to write.

The dungeon was very dark, the only window it had was locked of metal bars to prevent the prisoner to attempt escaping, although nobody would ever survive jumping through it, as the tower was very tall. Belle let herself fall on the stool in front of the spinning wheel, looking around with her heart tumbling in her chest at the sight of the piles of straw she was supposed to turn into gold.

Her father had always been a greedy man, but she never thought someday he could simply sell her like this, but the miller had lots of debts to pay and when they presented themselves to the king this afternoon he saw the perfect opportunity of freeing himself from them. Maurice told them a very fabulist story about how his beautiful daughter had a gift from the gods, being able to spin every piece of straw into gold, what was clearly a lie, but maybe to have a laugh of him, the king pretended to believe and locked Belle in the dungeons, saying she should make the gold during the night or she would be killed by the morning.

But Belle did not have such a gift, nor thought it could ever exist beyond her father’s imagination. The wheel was useless and the straw would only serve to make her a bed in the last night of her life, because there was no way she would life for another day. Tears started to silently fall from her eyes as she though about her inevitable fate, when Belle felt a pair of hands coming up to lay on her shoulders and jumped in place, before turning around to the oddest being she had ever set eyes on.

He had reptilian eyes and scaled him, was a short, skinny man, very differently from the knights she used to see wandering around the kingdom, coming from the frontlines of the war. Of course, she knew lots of commoners who were drained by poverty, but he seemed pretty healthy to be just a poor starving person, the wicked grin that played in his lips an indicative of his well-being. And he wasn’t human at all, his scales coloured in a strange tone; something between green and gold.

“Poor, desperate soul,” the creature hummed. “What afflicts you?”

Belle wiped her tears away, watching as he took his hands from her, moving them to the wheel, tracing a finger along it.

“I am to be killed tomorrow morning if I don’t turn all this straw into gold,” she sniffled.

“My, my,” he murmured with a small laugh. “I think I can help. I know how to do such a thing and would spin all this gold for you in a matter of hours.”

Her chest was filled with relief. Belle still didn’t know who or what he was, but if he could help her, then she decided that he was good. Maybe some weird kind of fairy-godmother, she wondered, or a kind elf, she guessed by the shape of his pixie ears.

“Oh, I would be really grateful!”

“You didn’t let me finish,” the man said a new kind of smirk spreading on his lips and this one looked slightly evil, which made her heart skip a beat. “I can do it, but for a price.”

All the hopes he had brought fell down. Belle could almost see herself in front of the king in the next morning again, when he would call his hangman to behead her for her father’s lies. She was a poor girl, had always been and if that creature though he could get anything from her, then he was very wrong.

“I have nothing to offer you, sir.” Belle sighed. “I’m just the miller’s daughter. We don’t own any valuable thing. Actually, my father brought me here to pay for his debts.”

For a moment she thought she almost saw some compassion shinning in his eyes, but then, he turned around, taking some steps to the window before coming back to her side, eyes fixed in her neckline, which made her want to cover every bit of flesh her blue dress exposed, even if it was very little.

“I think you do have a thing to offer me, dearie,” he pointed out, daring to pick the silver pendant hanging from a delicate chain and stroke it between his fingers as he sustained her glance. “I want this necklace.”

“This one?” Belle inquired, surprised. “It was my mother’s.”

 “And I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t mind if you exchanged it for your own life. You don’t have much choice after all,” he shrugged.

“No, I don’t.”

With a swift movement of her wrists, Belle took if off and placed the small thing on his palm, watching as he took an attentive look at if before sliding it to his waistcoat’s inner pocket and offering her a grin.

“We have a deal,” the man said, taking a seat by her side and picking a piece of straw from the floor. “Now, what is your name?”

“Belle,” she answered, hesitantly.

He started to work with the wheel, moving his hands along it and making the straw became a thread of gold, which made her mouth fall open in wonder, knowing it must be magic that was helping him to do it.

“Beautiful,” he commented after a second of utter concentration, “like you.”

“What is your name?”

“You can call me an imp if you want to, but my name you shall not have.”

She furrowed at this answer, but Belle didn’t really care for knowing his name or not as long as he saved her from being killed, so instead she watched him working in silence, marvelled at the ability he had, how skilled his fingers were and a lot of questions popped up in her mind, but she didn’t dare ask any of them, because she was too afraid she could say something that could offend him and make him leave without finishing with the straw.

So, the only thing she did was to stare and she looked amused at him for long hours before she fell asleep. Belle knew she probably should have fallen from the stool when her eyes closed and her body became rather flaccid, but she woke up laid comfortably on a corner. She blinked at the high lights of the morning and found herself surrounded by gold. The imp was gone, but he had kept his world.

Sitting up carefully, Belle rose on her feet and took a look outside the window, already anticipating her freedom.

One night in these dungeons was more than enough for her and she was ready to go back home. It didn’t take much time for the king appear alongside with another two men, one which she swore was the hangman meant to kill her, but when he stepped in and saw all the gold gathered around the room, all he could do was gasp in disbelief.

“You really did it,” he murmured, surprised. “It was truth then, you’re really a gifted lass.”

Belle smiled at him with relief, agreeing to the lie: “I am.”

The king kneeled on the floor, picking the golden thread between his fingers and laughing happily just as if he had found he solution for all his problems. The men behind him were also appearing to be very astonished and they really should be, because Belle would have never been able do such a thing on her own, if she was going to survive it was because of her deal with that imp. She didn’t know who he was, but she would be always grateful he appeared there.

“You need to make more,” King George suddenly exclaimed, bouncing back on his feet. “Joseph, go fill a bigger cell with all the straw you find.”

“No! We had an agreement, you said if I did this task you would free me,” Belle remarked.

A grin passed through the king’s lips as he nodded to Joseph to follow with his command and leave the dungeons. Belle swallowed hard. It wasn’t supposed to happen, she should be able to go home now, be just the peasant she had been for her entire life and forget that her father ever even thought about selling her this way. But once again she found herself fated to obey and fulfil other people’s wishes. However, today the imp wouldn’t come and she would die.

“Let’s make a new agreement, my dear lass.” King George proceeded. “If you turn all the straw in this new room I have for you, into gold, then I’ll give you a part of it, so you and your father can have a good life. But of course, you need to play your part and survive.”

Worrying at her lip, she nodded, because he wasn’t asking if she accepted this agreement, he was imposing it to her and she had no choice there. So, she allowed the prince, Gaston, to lead her to beautiful chambers and she ate the food a maid offered her, took a long bath and then wrote a letter to her father, telling what had been decided of her fate for now – not that she considered he really cared for what happened to her.

It was only when the night had fell that she was lead back to the dungeons, but this time to a really bigger cell with twice the amount of straw of the night prior pilled around it. When the door was locked behind her, Belle found herself hopelessly staring at the spinning wheel, however as soon as she sat on the stool wondering if she could simply copy the imp’s movements and pray some kind of magic would work to make it become gold, he appeared, brought by a golden cloud of smoke, by her side.

“And here we are again,” the imp said, rather amused. “I thought you were going to be freed.”

“I was, but apparently your efforts last night were too impressive and the king now things I can make gold enough to buy new armours for each knight fighting in the Ogres’ Wars.”

He slid to the stool beside her, brushing his fingers against the soft curls of her hair as if they were the most interesting thing in the world, which made Belle blush furiously, because the wonder in his eyes caused her heart to ran faster. The imp, whoever and whatever he was, wasn’t just interested in helping her live out to see another day and get another useless thing for his collection, but he also seemed to enjoy his view very much.

“Well, if you have something else to offer me, I’ll be happy to spin for you.”

Belle thought about this for a second, looking down her peasant clothes and taking off the golden band she had been wearing for really long now, before offering it to him.

“My mother’s wedding ring,” she explained. “Everything valuable I’ve ever had belonged to her.”

He nodded in approval, taking the ring and pocking it before quickly start to pick straw from the floor so he could work on the wheel. A long deep sigh left Belle’s lips at the realisation she was going to survive and maybe by the morning she would have gold enough to flee away from this kingdom and start her life in another place. But she was a little curious thing and today, she wouldn’t keep her mouth shut as it probably was the last time she would ever see that creature.

“Why don’t you want me to know your name?”

“Names are quite powerful things, dearie,” the imp answered. “You won’t give someone power over you if you don’t trust them.”

“So, you don’t trust me…” she trailed off.

A small impish laugh left him.

“Not even a bit. But don’t worry, I don’t trust anyone.”

The girl shook her head at him, then she started a long monologue about her dreams, about how she loved reading and rereading the few books she managed to buy on the market along her life and how she wanted to go away from there. He didn’t speak much, only listened to her, but Belle found it to be a marvellous thing, because usually nobody was willing to listen when she spoke. Her father always thought reading was a stupid thing for women to do and that it only confused their minds, making them believe they could ever do more than they were supposed to.

But the imp, he smiled when she rambled infinitely about a hero’s journey and how her mother was her inspiration and the one who taught her to read and write, despite of what others said about it.

When it was late and she was curled on the floor, on a stop near the window, he looked down at her for the first time in some long hours and said something she wouldn’t soon forget.

“I think reading makes people smarter and I think you can go anywhere you want and do whatever you want, if you wish so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I'm so sorry if there is anything wrong with my writing, English is not my first language.


	2. A Night and a Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle makes another two deals with the Dark One.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got suddenly really inspired this week, so I ended up with another chapter for it. I hope it is enjoyable.

"Get up, girl!"

Her eyelids trembled at the screamed request. Usually, Belle was up very early in the morning as she always helped her father with work at the mill, before they went to the market to sell the flour, but she had lost the track of time in the night prior, while talking to the imp and got really tired, the very reason why she was still curled on the floor when the king and his man entered the dungeon.

Rubbing at her eyes, Belle sat up, looking at their impatient faces and quickly rising on her feet, shaking the dirty away from her skirts and running her hands through her hair to try to look a little bit decent.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Your Majesty," she excused herself. "I was tired, I've spent most of the night awake."

"I see," King George agreed, smiling at the golden threads spread around the room. "That is good, but it is not enough."

Belle knew she should have been expecting this after what happened in the last time, however she was a good-hearted person who always expected the others to be too and she foolishly believed he would simply let her go. Only now she realised she might never be free, because she was his new plaything and she could actually make gold – or at least it was what they thought – and that made her a valuable prize. It just didn’t make her feel any less wrathful.

"But - " the girl tried to start. "But you promised I would be free after tonight!"

"Yeah, but I'm also the king and I can do whatever I want," he answered with a stupid little smirk. "This kingdom got really poor because of those wars. We need gold."

Eyes getting filled with tears, Belle refused to accept this fate. She should have a whole life ahead and not be locked inside there and the gods knew she wasn’t going to last more than another day in that castle, because she had nothing left to exchange with the magic imp for his services at the spinning wheel.

"No, you can't do this with me,” she cried. “You can't!"

"You'll be working for your life, pretty lass."

So again, she was taken to huge comfortable chambers, where she could bath, rest and eat before she was cruelly taken from there and throw back inside the dungeons. But today, she didn’t even allow herself to shed a single tear, because Belle had been through this experience twice before and she knew it wouldn’t help with anything, only leaving her with swollen eyes in the next day and if she was to die, then she wasn’t going to look weak in front of that sick king.

"This is becoming a routine," she heard the imp’s unique voice saying from near the windows.

She pressed a hand to her heart at the unexpected visit, but smiled widely at him, because even if that was to be her last night, then she was glad he was there to at least talk to her. Belle enjoyed his company quite a lot.

"Oh, thank gods, you're back."

"I can sense your despair miles away from here," he explained with an amusing grimace. "So, the king broke another deal. He isn't much of an honoured man."

"No,” Belle agreed with a sigh. “He is horrible."

The imp walked towards her with calculated steps. She was sat on a pile of straw and he slid to her side, brushing one long scaled finger through her pale face with a heated look on his eyes that Belle didn’t even want to start to think about.

"And what are you going to offer me tonight?"

"I have nothing left," she said, almost in a whisper. "I guess I'm fated to die tomorrow."

Approaching her even more, the imp breathed in deeply, smelling the scent of flowers in her hair as he toyed with the curls. She stayed still in place, hands groping at the blue fabric of her dress to stop herself from trying to reach for him, wondering if his hairs would be soft against her fingers.

"Actually, dearie, there is something you could offer me," the imp purred in her hear. "Your virtue."

Belle jumped under his touch like a scared cat and the creature couldn’t help but letting a small impish laugh escaped his lips as he stroked her back in an attempt to make her relax again, as her eyes seemed about to jump out of her face.

"What?" Belle questioned in a breathy voice. "You mean..."

"Aye, I want you to lay with me."

"But, I... I can't!"

She moved enough to see his face, watching as he slowly pulled away from her and noticing there was no real surprise in his face that indicated he wasn’t expecting her to immediately decline the request. But something Belle had discovered in the last few nights was that the imp, whatever attraction he felt for her aside, was really respectable. He wouldn’t do anything with her that she hadn’t agreed to.

"Well, you can accept this deal and allow an old monster to touch you for a night or you can die tomorrow as an innocent."

Oh, damn it, he had a point. And what was the value of her virtue now, after all, when she was to be imprisoned forever or beheaded in the very next day? No, nobody would ever mind if she was a virgin now, because nobody would ever lay with her, at least not in a honoured relationship – as yes, she had heard things about how the king’s man used to force themselves into the prettiest prisoners and just the thought of it made her shiver.

No, she’d rather loose her innocent to the imp than to any of them. He was her friend, they were her enemies, so Belle lifted her chin, cupped his face in her hands and looked deep into his weird reptilian eyes.

"I accept it."

A smile lighted up his face.

"You've made the right choice, darling Belle," the imp guaranteed, snapping his fingers and making a purple cloud of smoke bring a big object to the centre of the dungeon. "I promise I won't hurt you."

Glancing at the object, Belle noticed what it was and arched an eyebrow to him, because that was the last thing she was expecting to see. Actually, she though he would just lift up her shirt and take her right there.

"A bed?"

"A lady deserves more than be laid down on the straw," the creature shrugged.

"I'm no lady,” she murmured in confusion, “just a peasant."

Rising up on his feet, the imp shook his head to her, stretching out a hand for Belle to take as he dragged her to the bed.

"Your social position means nothing to me."

The shadow of a smirk passed through Belle’s lips as she laid on her back and allowed the imp to start undoing the laces of her bodice with such a care that it was able to make a good feeling settle heavy on her belly. When he was finished with it, he asked Belle to stand up again so the could take all the layers off her, leaving the girl bare before him.

She could feel blush coming to her cheeks as she forced herself not to cover her body with both hands, trying to keep some modesty. Instead, she allowed the imp to analyse her with hungry, mesmerized eyes as he ran his thick hands through her curves, cupping both her breasts and making her gasp.

"Your skin is so thick," Belle murmured.

"And yours is really soft," he returned, helping her to settle herself against the pillows once more as he started to nibble at her throat. "Relax and you may even enjoy it."

Her breath became raggedy as he carefully stroked every inch of her body with his hands, following down with his lips and then up again, his kisses awakening something inside Belle, she didn’t yet know that existed. Some strong need was building up and she couldn’t help herself when she found her hands caressing his back and his hairs, helplessly clutching him.

She never thought this could feel so good, but every touch of his lips against her skin, sucking and licking her breasts and neck or whatever part of her body he seemed to find amusing, like her inner thighs, made Belle writhe and release small sounds of approval. But it was only when his fingers first made contact with her folds, sliding inside that her back arched from the bed and a different kind of noise came up her throat.

"Oh," she exclaimed.

The imp froze, just not because of her reaction, but because for the feel on his fingers. He wasn’t expecting that. Actually, he thought he would have to use magic to prepare her, but Belle was already so ready that it really surprised him.

"How is that possible?"

"What?"

"You're dripping. Soaking wet," he purred, sliding his fingers along her folds to coat every bit of her with them, hearing Belle moan again. "Are you really liking what I'm doing?"

"Yes," she answered, angry that he had suddenly stopped what he was doing to just stare at her. "Please, touch me again."

He groaned, hiding his face against the crook of her neck as he started worshipping her, hearing Belle’s breathless sounds against his ear. She held him close as if the proximity could increase the wonderful feeling his fingers were building in her. It was like she was burning from inside out, eyes shut close as she concentrated in how every touch brought her close to complete bliss.

"You're doing so well," the imp murmured as if he was proud of her performance, panting and writhing when it was him how was doing the whole thing. "Give in, love, give in."

Belle didn’t quite understand what he meant by “give in” but she knew the pressure on her womb was stronger and she could fell the despair to reach something she didn’t yet know before, she felt his thumb reaching up to touch a new part of her what elicited a delighted squeal from her lips. Then, he was circling the flesh up there and it didn’t take long for Belle to find release. She felt fluids dripping from her as she three her head back against the pillows, giving her the sensation of being wild and free.

"Just like that..." the imp murmured with a smirk, cupping her face gently between both his hands. "Look at me, sweetheart."

Opening up her eyes, Belle offered in a lazy smile.

"It was good."

"I know, but now it will hurt a little, so hold onto me."

She nodded briefly, doing as he said and getting a hold of his arms, noticing he hadn’t taken off one single piece of clothing and probably was only now undoing his trousers because it was needed. Belle watched as the imp pulled them down to his knees before coming up to cover her body with his and she felt herself getting a bit nervous, because he really was bigger than she ever considered a man would be.

"It's alright, my darling," he assured her, pressing a tender kiss to Belle’s brow as he grabbed his cock in hand and guided it along her folds, directly to her entrance, pressing his tip against her. “Look at my eyes.”

Glancing up at his reptilian eyes, Belle bit down on her lower lip as she felt him entering her inch by inch, until he stopped and she knew he had reached her maidenhead, so the girl only nodded at him, giving the imp the last permission he needed to thrust forward and break through it. She suffocated a cry of pain on his shoulder, but the bad sensation didn’t last long.

He was trying to soothe her somehow, Belle knew it, as the imp couldn’t stop petting her hair, but she just needed a moment, no more than it and when she relaxed once more, Belle brushed the hair away from his face and stroke his eyebrow, giving him a sweet smile.

"It doesn't hurt that much," she said with as much confidence as she could. "You may move now."

And so, he did. Slow at first, allowing Belle to get used to him, but when it started to become a pleasurable act for her as well and her hips came up to meet his in time with his trusts, the imp quickened hi pace and all she could do was drown in the wonderful feelings he was giving her as she watched mesmerized as he moved above her.

It was a nice view. The imp was a handsome man – not that she thought any other crazy girl would agree with her – and his expression of pure bliss as their bodies worked together was priceless. When it became too much, Belle saw stars dancing behind her eyelids as she reached her peek for the second time that night, but now something different happened, because the imp became all tense and his thrust became maddening before he groaned and she felt warmth filling her up.

"Oh, Belle," the imp mumbled, pressing his forehead to hers.

He was still inside her and Belle had no hurry to have in slipping away, because she had never felt so amazing before, but the work still needed to be done, and all too soon, the imp kissed her cheek one last time and rolled to his back, straightening his trousers before standing up and going to the spinning wheel without casting her another glance.

She took a couple of minutes to recover from her blissful state before she finally reached for her own clothes and started to get dressed. The bed disappeared as soon as Belle got off it and she went to the same corner where she had slept in the last few nights, closing her eyes and letting the small noises of the imp spinning the straw into gold be like a lullaby for her.

In the next morning, when the king came, Belle was already up. She had wakened earlier, hoping she would find the imp still there, maybe still finishing his part on their deal, but he was already gone. King George laughed delighted at the sight of the dungeon filled with gold as soon as he stepped in her cell.

"We are wealthy again, father," the prince exclaimed happily by his side.

"Yes, Gaston, just another night and it will be enough."

Belle blinked. She was already expecting it, but she would never stop hoping for a change.

"Another one?"

"Shut up girl, you'll won a big prize after tonight,” the king said harshly, before pulling up a proud smile on his face. “You are going to marry my son."

Averting her glace to the prince, Belle swallowed hard. He was probably exactly the type of man most women she knew would consider a dream: handsome, tall, black hair and light-blue eyes that could almost be mistaken by grey. And most important, someday he would be a king.

However, it had no meaning to her, because Belle knew what was expected from the wife of ruler. She was supposed to be a beautiful acquisition, just an ornament on his throne, her mouth shut forever and her thoughts restrained to never be spoken again. If she married him, all her dreams would die.

"I..." Belle tried to start, but needed to take deep breath before continuing. "Do I have a choice?"

"Yes,” King George smiled wickedly, “either you marry Gaston or you stay imprisoned for whenever your services are needed."

Her breath got caught on her throat. She wanted to cry, scream, fight against them and attempt to run away, but she couldn’t and she had given up too much to simply choose death. Belle would find another way to escape this, but first, she needed to survive.

"Alright. I'll marry him then."

"Wonderful! We shall be rich forever,” the king clapped. “Gaston escort the lass to her chambers."

"Yes, father."

Gesticulating for her to follow him through the dark corridor, Gaston allowed Belle to take only a few steps outside, before he placed a possessive hand on her waist, a stupid smirk playing on his lips.

"You've made the right choice. Marrying me won't be as awful as you may think."

"I could only hope so," she murmured, not allowing her eyes to meet his even for a couple of seconds.

Belle was fed, clean and let alone to rest, as if she was a puppy or a small child, although all she could feel like was a bird locked in a cage, prevented from flying away. Today she cried against the pillow. Her blue dress was taken away, replaced by a lilac one. She deserved new clothes. She would be queen. She wanted to set it on fire and ask for her old gown, because it represented who she was not this new one.

Later that day, she found herself on the dungeons again, already expecting the imp to show, hoping he would come and ask to lay with her again, because maybe with him making her head spin, then maybe she could forget that she was lost. When he appeared, already sat by the wheel, Belle immediately ran to his side, taking a seat beside him and daring to lean her head against his should, which appeared to surprise him.

"Were you missing me already or is this king really cruel?"

"He wants me to marry his son, Gaston," Belle confessed.

"Oh,” the imp murmured, and she couldn’t help but notice he sounded slightly disappointed. “So, you my dear, will be a queen!"

Shaking her head at him, Belle felt her eyes getting filled with tears again. Nothing of this was supposed to be happening and every passing second ever since her father brought her to his castle, was a torture.

"But I don't want to be one and I simply can't marry him now. I gave you my virtue and when Gaston realises it, he will kill me with his bare hands!"

The imp tapped a finger to the wheel, thoughtfully, before looking at her from the corners of his eyes.

"I can assure you will bleed, despite of not being an innocent anymore exactly as I can spin all this gold for you again. This is very simple for my magic, but it will require a price."

Worrying at her lip, the girl was almost expecting the bed to appear again. Belle would come willing to his arms once more if that was what he wanted and it would be no sacrifice for her. She had liked their previous encounter very much.

"And what do you have in mind?"

"Last night, darling Belle, I've filled your womb with my seed and if you agree, then my magic will guarantee it will take a root on you," the imp explained. "It is very simple, really, you give me the child once it is born and you'll be a beloved queen to this kingdom."

She needed to admit, from all the deals he offered to her, it was the worst of them, because it made a cold fear settle heavy in her heart, making her stomach twist painfully. One thing was trading for her own life, the other one was trading a baby, mainly one that would come from her.

"But... But what should I tell Gaston?"

"Tell him the child was a stillborn. It happens very often."

He always seemed to have an answer for everything, but it still made her heart race. If she agreed with it, she would have to send her own flesh and blood away, never get to know a child she would bring to this world.

"And will you care for it?"

"I wouldn't be asking you for a baby if I didn't intend to care for it, dearie" the imp guaranteed her. "I want an heir for my rather large state."

Belle took a deep breath. She could do it. The child would be loved. Her life would be spared and she would find away to get rid of Gaston. It wasn’t so difficult. At least, she hoped so.

"Alright, do it."

Snapping his fingers, the imp laughed happily as she felt her belly getting warm with the force of his magic, then his hands came to cover it, like something very precious was hidden inside her.

"I can't wait to see how this little one will look like," he simply smiled, caressing her for a brief moment before turning back to his spinning wheel.

The only thing Belle could do now, was to pray for all the gods to not make the separation from that child much difficult for her.


	3. His Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle marries Gaston.  
> Another deal is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having such a fun with this, that I swear I wrote this chapter in a space of two hours, I wish my muse would be so productive every day. You will find some Beauty and the Beast characters here that I haven't used before, but felt like doing with this story as I wanted to give it a new view.

The wedding was inevitable. Belle wished she could simply run away, but King George prevented himself, so there was always a guard or a whole retinue of maids following her wherever she went, which gave her no choice but to follow instructions and try on gowns as she felt smaller and sadder by the day. She kept thinking about the imp, her thoughts full of him and how he had adored her for a night, she would give anything to see him again, but she knew he wouldn’t come back for months, now that he knew she wouldn’t be killed anymore.

Belle told herself multiple times that everything he wanted from her was the child, but she couldn’t help keep remembering about the looks he gave her long before they made that last deal. He liked her somehow and he certainly wanted her, that much she had felt when he was buried to the hilt inside of her body. And now, she would have to share a bed with another, even though her heart held feelings for that odd creature.

She must admit that the prospect of laying with Gaston it terrified her, first because he seemed to be the brute kind who would only think about himself and probably would make it painful and uncomfortable for her and second, because she was afraid it might hurt the child. Belle already felt attached to it, although she knew she shouldn’t, because the imp would come as soon as it was born, to collect it, which made her heart break a bit on her chest.

Lately, she was feeling like she was a doll, forced to do things she didn’t actually want to, being dressed and dragged to places, a fake smile always on her lips. It all was awful but not more than the whole wedding celebration. She wore white, although she wasn’t pure anymore, she was walked down the isle by the king and not her father who hadn’t being invited to the party – and for that part she didn’t care much, as Maurice had been the one to put her in this situation in first place – nonetheless, she had her hands held by Gaston while a priest blessed their union, making them repeat some meaningless vows.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the future king and queen,” the elderly man announced with a wide grin. “Gaston, you may kiss the bride.”

Belle shivered when he approached, feeling as if she was betraying herself – and for some reason, the imp too – when she allowed him to seal a kiss on her lips, causing the crowd to start applauding the newly-wed couple, before the king and the queen came along to congratulate them. She was hugged by both of them, trying to keep on with the fake smile when George pulled her close and murmured some chuckled words to her hear.

“See, my dear, this is how we help we other. You made the kingdom rich again and I’ll make you queen.”

Shifting away from him, Belle isolated herself on the chair, refusing to dance with anyone but Gaston, who she couldn’t deny it without being killed. She was feeling sick, if an illness caused by her body’s recent changes to accommodate the child she expected or by the feeling of impotence and unhappiness with that marriage, she didn’t quite know. The only thing she consumed during the whole night was a glass of water, her stomach twisting painfully as her whole body trembled with despair.

Going to her new bedchambers that night was kind of frightening, but Belle gathered all of her courage and did it, changing her wedding dress for a simple nightgown with the help of the maids, then she sat near the windows and waited until Gaston appeared. He opened the door with no hurry, still fully clothed and carrying a sword, his face expressionless as he walked towards the bed and Belle swallowed.

“You look nervous,” Gaston pointed out, lifting his sword.

“I…” Belle started but stopped when he pulled the blankets away and opened a cut on his own hand, letting the blood drip on the white sheets. “What the hell are you doing?”

He pulled the sword back in place, letting it hang by his side as he cleaned his wounded hand with a cloth, barely casting a look at her while he did so, which was very different from how he was acting on the wedding party and when they were in public in general.

“The maids will certainly check for the sheets to guarantee this marriage was consummated, and now they surely will think it was.”

Belle blinked, surprised. The last thing she was expecting was to be rejected on her wedding night. Maybe she was not the prettiest girl in this realm, but she wasn’t ugly, the imp had desired her and she knew other men did to, so why her husband would refuse to lay with her?

“I thought you wanted to marry me!”

Gaston shook his head.

“No, that’s what my father forced me to do, but as I said, you have nothing to fear, Belle, as long as you never tell anyone that I haven’t laid with you.”

Of course, she wasn’t going to be fool enough to tell this to anyone – at least for now – because if he intended to never share her bed, then she might as well be dead anyway, because once her belly started to grow and people noticed she was with child, they would also know it was a bastard and the King would certainly kill her. She needed a plan and she needed it soon.

Her husband, however didn’t seem to be willing to spend the night talking or doing anything else, as he walked towards the door without another word, leaving Belle to stare angrily at him.

“Where are you going?”

“I have some matters to attend,” was the only thing he said, before going away.

* * *

 

As the weeks passed by, Belle watched as her body started to change, soon enough her stomach wasn’t flat anymore and the little bump appeared, which made wearing her corsets completely uncomfortable. She started to decline the help of the maids to get dressed and hided her pregnancy the best way she could, but Belle knew the time would come when people would start to notice something was different about her.

She wouldn’t care about dying at this point, however Belle wanted her child to live, so for it, she started to follow Gaston around like a shadow, never allowing him to see her, staying distant, but keep herself attentive. In the first couple of times she did it, the girl only saw him doing the usual things like hunting, eating and talking about politics, but it was on a particularly dark night that she got to know his real secret.

He was supposed to be hunting with a few friends and Belle hadn’t even left the great hall to follow him, because she felt tired and sore, but when one of the men who was supposed to be on this hunt with Gaston appeared looking for his wife, the duchess, she understood there was something wrong about it. Belle excused herself, saying her husband had told her early to meet him in the stables and made her way to there, wanting to know if the horses he should have taken would still be in their lanes.

Certainly, she thought it was odd that the stables were locked when she arrived there and the young boy that usually took care of the horses wasn’t anywhere to be seen, but Belle was just about to leave when she heard an odd noise. Turning around again, she approached the woodened walls, following the strange, suffocated sounds until she found a gap between the boards and peeked a look inside, almost gasping.

Inside there was Gaston with his best friend LeFou. Truth be told, she had always thought he didn’t like much the poor man, who had always seemed like a fool, obeying all of the prince’s commands, but now she saw it was all a lie, because they were kissing, they were naked, and she was glad she couldn’t see what their hands were doing.

This was the reason Gaston had refused to lay with her then, Belle concluded, maybe he couldn’t, maybe he only felt attraction for men and he would never be able to perform his part with her. She pulled away from the wall, still hearing their small grunts as she started to walk back to the castle. Belle didn’t like to be this kind of person, but right now, for her child, she would have to be tough and threatening and use this information for good.

She went to their bedchambers earlier that night, pulled on her nightgown and sat in front of her desk, combing her hair as she waited. Belle knew he had no option but coming to the room they had been sharing for the last weeks and sleep in the same bed as her in order to not make people suspicious, so when he finally opened the door and stepped in, she was already ready.

“Hello, dear husband,” the lady said, grinning at him.

Gaston furrowed, clearly unhappy to be forced to speak with her.

“I thought you’d be already asleep.”

“No, I actually need to have a little talk to you so I made sure I’d stay awake until you arrived.”

Placing his bow and arrow in a corner, he started to take off his boots without glancing at her, exactly as it had been ever since they got married. Well, it wasn’t exactly a marriage as not even the clerics would consider a non-consummated union valid, but it didn’t matter now, what really mattered to Belle was convincing him to claim her child as his.

“Can we discuss whatever you have in mind tomorrow?” He asked. “I’m tired, the hunting was exhaustive.”

“Oh, yes, the hunting…” Belle trailed off. “Was the deer that left you so tired or was it LeFou?”

His eyes got wide and for the first time in that night, Gaston looked up at her, startled, almost terrified, probably wanting to have misheard her, but he didn’t and both of them knew it.

“How did you…”

“I’m a clever woman, Gaston, and let me add, I don’t care about what you do or who do you do it with, but I need your help and if you don’t agree with my terms, then I think the king might accidentally run on his only son spending some time with the kind of lover he wouldn’t expect him to.”

He swallowed hard, kicking his boots away as he stood up, walking towards Belle like a scared animal. She had never seen him look anything but smug and brute and she couldn’t say she wasn’t quite enjoying it after everything his father did her.

“What do you want?”

“You see, before I married you I had a life and I was deeply in love with a spinner, so this happened,” Belle explained, straightening her gown so he could see the still tiny bump under it. “Now, I know your father expects you to have heirs, so if you claim this child as yours, you’ll have nothing to fear. You will never disappoint him. But if you chose otherwise, then… Well, King George will be really sad to know why you will never give him grandchildren.”

“You want me to assume your bastard?” Gaston gasped. “That’s not going to happen, your manipulative whore!”

Oh, he could call her a whore and everything else he wished, but he didn’t agree with her plan, then she wouldn’t hesitate and making sure King George caught him right with LeFou. And surely, he wouldn’t want that to happen, both for that poor man’s safety and because of his own reputation – and maybe even succession to the throne – that would certainly be ruined.

“LeFou would certainly end-up beheaded,” Belle started ponderously, “such a waste of a good heart…”

“Alright,” the prince breathed, his eyes closing for a second as if he couldn’t believe how weak he sounded. “I’ll do it.”

“Clever man,” she praised him, standing up and walking past her husband, straight to their bed. “Goodnight, Gaston.”

She slipped under the bedcovers, certainly more relieved, but not yet happy.

* * *

 

Months passed, the whole kingdom was rejoicing the fact its prince would soon have an heir, King George and his wife were over the moon with the news and threating Belle a lot better now, however the weight of the deal she made with the imp, wouldn’t leave her, things could be slightly nicer, but she would still have to give up her baby and just to think about that, was killing her.

When she first felt a kick, tears started to stream down her face with happiness, she cared so much about that child that her heart seemed about to burst. She had never thought she could feel such a deep connection with someone as she did now, but Belle wasn’t willing to give it up, so one night, she pulled on her cloak and went to the gardens whist Gaston slept.

She didn’t know what made her believe that the imp would some, but as she placed her lamp on a stone bench, she knew soon she wouldn’t be alone anymore and that was exactly what happened as just a couple of moments later, she felt the presence of another person right behind her.

“It has been quite a while since I’ve last felt such a despair coming from you. It was like a scream for help,” the imp said, coming closer until he was standing right in front of her, making Belle’s heart skip a bit with the excitement of seeing him again. “Tell me, what does afflict you, my dear?”

“It’s the child,” she explained, opening her cloak a bit to allow him a sight of her now swollen stomach.

His eyes got wide, a smile spreading in his lips as his hands came up to cup each side of her belly, stroking carefully, his whole face lighting up when the felt a kick against his palm.

“Oh, you’re growing bigger!”

Belle almost sobbed at this. He looked so excited and happy, his touch as so soft and full of love that she wanted to throw he arms around his body and never let go. Nobody ever threated her the way he did, with such care and nobody would love he child the way he did, that was for sure, which made asking the next question a bit painful.

“Please, don’t take it away from me. I already love this baby.”

“We have a deal, remember?” The imp arched an eyebrow at her, letting his hands fall to his sides. “You promised me your first born.”

Her chin trembled at how suddenly impassive he looked. She knew he never stepped away from a deal, but she couldn’t understand how he felt indifferent about separating a mother from a child. And even worse: his child from its mother. He should want his heir to have a happy childhood, full of a love. He should want her in the equation.

“I know, but I can give you anything else, there must be something you want.”

“Yes, a child,” the imp remarked. “ _My child_ and you already dealt it for me.”

“Please,” Belle begged. “Please, I have nothing left in this life. My father never like me, my husband prefers the company of another man than mine and I’m locked in this hellish castle, the only joy I have is to feel this baby moving inside me and knowing that somehow, I’m not alone. If I lose it, then I’ll truly wish to die.”

It took him by surprise. The imp shook his head at her, curling a hand around Belle’s waist and pulling her close, cupping her face with his other hand, his textured fingers stroking her cheeks and brushing away the tears that had started to fall from her eyes. She leaned against his touch, appearing to be so fragile that wanted to do something, anything to make her feel better. She should never feel as rejected and lonely as she was feeling now.

“Don’t you say something like that,” the imp bounced in a preoccupied voice.

“It’s the truth,” Belle sniffled, hugging him close and nuzzling her nose against his neck. “I – I’ve missed you.”

“Missed me?”

“You are the only friend I’ve truly ever had.”

He stroked her hair, fighting against his better will of kissing her and then doing something he never tried before and breaking a deal. The imp knew she was desperate and would say and do anything right now to keep her child.

“You’re a loner, my Belle.”

“I think I was born to be left aside,” she said, looking at his reptilian eyes again.

“No, no, stop saying those things,” he pleaded. “Let’s make another deal.”

“Another one?”

“Aye,” he confirmed. “Would you accept to run away with me? If you agree, you can live at my castle and you can be a true mother to this wee bairn.”

The girl blinked, astonished. She would have never expected him to propose such a thing, as she even doubted he would allow her to keep their baby, but this… Oh, it was perfect, the only solution she ever wanted to have for her problems, and not just because it mean, her child would have a good home and she would have the chance of raising it, but because she would be with him.

“Would you do this? Would save me from this miserable life?”

“With a condition. You need to be clever enough to find out my name.”

Of course, it was too good to be true. But he was the man she met in a dungeon and had done deals with from the very start, so this could have already been foreseen.                        

“Is this a joke?”

“Of course not,” the imp smirked. “If you find out my name, then I’ll take you with me and you’ll be threated like a real queen and adored like a goddess.”

Belle thought about this for a second, rubbing at his back through the leather of his thick coat. She was being held for the first time in months and he was giving her one of those heated glances that had made her body go in flames in the night they had spent together, so she wouldn’t have what to lose by trying but what she already didn’t have.

“And the only thing I need to do is discover your name?”

“You have three days,” he agreed.

“Can I start now?”

A smile filled her lips as she traced his jaw with the tip of her index finger, feeling the child kicking between then. It was quite an agitated thing and she assumed it would take a lot after him. Sometimes, Belle would wonder if it would look like its father too, she certainly wouldn’t mind if it did, as odd as others might think it looked or not.

“Feeling fearless?”

“I’d say desperate,” Belle corrected, and tried in one long breath: “John? James? Arthur? Robert? Dean? Pierre?”

“No, no and no,” the imp chuckled. “My name is not a simple one, you’ll need to make some research. But take care of yourself in the meantime, we want a strong heir, huh?”

She nodded, more than eager to start reading all the books she could get her hands on to try to discover his name, it would be a tough task, and she wanted to start it as soon as possible, however Belle thought she could delay it until the next morning, because right now, being held by that man was the only thing she wished to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I made Gaston gay here. Ooops.


	4. The Dark One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle discovers the imp's name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two months without a chapter, you guys must hate me by now. But this is my old WIP week, so you’ll be seeing some unexpected updates, lol. I hope it is worth the wait!

King George had a good library, although it wasn’t as big as Belle thought it would be. She was feeling revitalized in the morning after seeing the imp and making that deal, because for the first time, it gave her hope for a better life, so she woke up really early, had breakfast and sat between books, which thankfully wasn’t a problem with her ladies in waiting, as they took it as a mother-to-be looking for names for her child. Belle made two different lists, one with the most uncommon names she found and the other with the normal, but not so popular ones.

In the night prior, she had dreamed about the imp, about being in his arms again and feeling truly loved. She knew that at the best possibility she would end-up being his lover and would care for his child while he went for his deals with prettier girls than her, but at this point Belle didn’t care. Gaston did the same, but he instead of seeking women, he preferred to lay with the stupid LeFou. It may not change, but at least, the imp would care for her, because for some reason he was undoubtedly fond of Belle and, although she had never felt love before, she was pretty sure that she was falling for him.

If people found this out, they would say she had gone completely mad, but they were never going to understand how lovely it was to share his company. Maybe it was the fact he had helped her so many times or many it was because he was the father of her child, but all she really knew was that no matter what, he made her happier than anyone ever did. Of course, Belle had a lack of love in her life, the only person that ever showed her affection was her mother, so it wouldn’t be a surprise for her to fall for the first man that she crossed paths with.

The only problem was that he wasn’t actually a man and if she had to fall for someone, then she should fall for Gaston, but it wasn’t happening and not just because he had a taste for men, instead of woman, but because he was too superficial. _He_ wasn’t taking to her at the moment. After Belle threatened him they barely spoke and Gaston only shared the same chambers as her to keep the appearances, then just yesterday he had decided he needed a hunting trip and disappeared into the woods with LeFou and a bunch of sycophant idiots.

Not that she cared for it, Belle rather stay alone than being anywhere her ridiculous excuse for a husband, so the dedicated her time to reading all those books and making her lists, because after all, she had a deal with the imp and she would do whatever it took to win her freedom.

In the first night, Belle read more than a hundred different names for him, but the imp only stood by her window, shaking his head at each one she spoke. It was a frustrating experience and in the next day, she was decided not to fail again. She had three nights and one had already been wasted, which meant she was two days closer of losing not just her only chance at a better life, but also of losing her child forever.

Another list was done and, when the imp appeared again and she started to talk, Belle already knew it wasn’t her luck day. She finished all the names and still hadn’t a positive answer, but very different from the night prior, he didn’t immediately disappear to wherever he went next, actually he stayed there near her window tapping his fingers together as she angrily casted her parchment away, cursing that list as a frenetic hand came up to caress her belly.

“Can… Can I come closer?” The imp asked, rather nervously. “I mean, I want to feel the baby moving again. I find it quite… Nice.”

Immediately, a smile appeared in her lips, making some of the tension and the fear she felt, disappear. She patted the place beside her as she continued to caress the mound.

“Of course, it is your child. Come here.”

An equally excited smile appeared on the imp’s lips as he nervously walked towards her, climbing up the bed and making himself comfortable. Belle watched with an amused look on her face, then she had an idea and slid herself between his legs, resting her back against his chest. The imp seemed startled for a moment, getting still for a second before he finally relaxed against her and nestled Belle in his arms, laying a hand in each side of her belly.

He wasn’t expecting to feel the child squirming so powerfully under his fingertips, because the last time he touched it everything he felt was some kicks, but today he baby was really full of energy, turning around inside the mother’s womb as if it was playing a fun game. He wondered if it was a painful thing for her but decided not to ask.

“Joyful thing this one.”

Sighing, she nuzzled her head on the crook of his neck, smelling his unique essence. Not even in a million years she could imagine having this with Gaston or anyone else and now Belle was sure of it; however, she still wasn’t able to understand what exactly it meant for him.

“Why, out of every powerful woman in this realm, did you choose me to be the mother of your child?”

“You’re a pretty thing dearie,” the imp answered slowly, petting her belly to make the child turn around again, which made her giggle, because it caused weird waves to flutter inside of her. “I figured pretty girls make pretty babies.”

“There are lots of beautiful women around here,” she pointed out. “So why me?”

For a second, in which he got specially quite and stopped moving, she thought he would be honest with her, but then there was an insistent pressure on her belly right where his hand was placed and he seemed to shift back to reality, hiding himself under his walls once again.

“Oh, feel it,” he exclaimed as a distraction. “It is kicking!”

“Yeah, he or she does it very often,” Belle answered. She felt really cosy in his arms, she couldn’t really remember the last time she had been hugged by someone else other than him, but she knew she wouldn’t take his warmth for another’s.

His fingers were stroking her belly through the soft fabric of her nightgown and she accompanied his movements with her eyes, remembering about how the scales felt against her own skin, his heavenly textured hands running along her body and making her writhe. Belle shivered at the thought, a warm wave of excitement settling down between her legs and making her feel a certain kind of moisture appearing there.

She wished he would touch her like that again, but Belle was still unsure about his intentions with her and the fact that he hadn’t asked for anything else, even when they were laid so close in the bed, her body fully pressed to his, only made her think that maybe all he ever wanted from her was that one night, so she tried to think about other things and change her track of mind.

“Where do you live?”

“I’m not going to tell you, dearie, it is a secret for now. But if you have the right answer for our deal tomorrow, then you’ll see it with your own eyes.”

That was not a satisfactory answer, but she guessed she couldn’t expect him to really reveal that. After all, he was making her guess his name, so he obviously wasn’t going to give the location of his home so easily, however the prospect of seeing it for herself made Belle smile again, because she doubted any other girl had ever seen it before. Or at least, that much she hoped.

“Do you… Do you make deals with other people or it’s just me?”

“Oh, you’re not exclusive,” the imp chuckled, moving his hand down her belly making a different pressure surge at the end of it. “This realm is full of desperate souls.”

“So, have you asked other women to bear a child for you too?”

This time he really laughed at her, making the girl’s cheeks flush with colour. He brought a hand up, caressing her face with the back of it, his thick fingers touching her lips very lightly before they went up, causing a happy purr to leave her, as if Belle was a lazy cat, wishing to be petted.

“Am I hearing a hint of jealously in your voice, precious?” The imp asked. “No, in that matter you’re the only one.”

There was a surge of pride. She leaned more against him, happy to know that at least he wasn’t making this kind of deals with other people, because she needed to admit that it, yes, made her a bit jealous. Gods, she was not just definitely falling for him, she already loved that man with all of her heart.

Swallowing, Belle took his hands, bringing them to her breasts and releasing a sharp breath when he cupped them, feeling the weight of each in his huge palms. Her eyes slid close as he started to rub circles in her skin without any hesitance, banishing away the pain she had been feeling in there for weeks, replacing it by a blinding pleasure that left her breathless. Now all she needed was for the imp to reach between her legs and she would sleep happily.

“They hurt,” she murmured, her voice sounding weird, full of a desire she hadn’t had the chance of exploring properly. “It’s a strange ache.”

“Your body is getting prepared to nurture the child,” he explained, nuzzling his face against her hair.

“And will you let me do it?”

“Only if you’re smart enough,” the imp answered, before disappearing from behind her. Belle though she would fall back against the mattress, but he was holding her in his arms and laying her carefully in the next second.

Belle gasped with surprise, she was about to curse him for the scare, but then, he bent down and brushed their lips together and all the thoughts vanished from her mind, leaving her speechless.

“Have a good night, my dearest Belle.”

Then he was gone, just like yesterday.

* * *

 

The next day at the library, Belle decided to start a different kind of search. Instead of looking for names like she had been doing in the past few days, she looked into the magic books, about those mythical creatures she knew could be found in their realm. She knew her answer probably laid there, because if she found what exactly the imp was, then, it would be easier to discover his name.

Her reading however, didn’t prove itself very useful until very late in the afternoon when she was almost accepting she had lost and going back to her room so she could weep against the pillow until the imp arrived. Her eyes were almost starting to water and Belle rubbed her belly impatiently as she flipped a page, seeing a brand-new topic that immediately called her attention: The Dark One.

Curling herself on the chair, she brought the book closer as she started to read the physical description that made her heart race, because it matched her imp; scales, green-gold skin, reptilian eyes… He or she was a dark entity with strong magic and only one from its species could exist at the time, as for another to be created, the successor must be killed with an ancient blade that held its name.

Belle released a sharp breath. So that was why he kept his name as a secret, but she knew there must be people who knew it, people that wanted to have the same power he did. She needed to be smart right now, but she was sure she could get the information she wanted.

When Belle lived in the village she had heard about a witch, some people said she had real magic, others whispered that she was only a woman with a large knowledge of herbs. Whoever she was, Belle guessed she should know something about her imp, so she grabbed her cloak, excused herself from her ladies in waiting, saying she was feeling sick and rushed to the village as quick as she could, knowing this day would decide the course of her entire life.

She was exhausted by the time she reached the witch’s shack, but Belle took a deep breath and pushed the door open, finding a rather dark place, only illuminated by a few candles. The smell inside there wasn’t nice in any possible way, it stink and made her want to cough for fresh air, but Belle was tough enough to take the needed steps towards the witch and not do so.

“Excuse me,” Belle started, cleaning her throat.

The woman looked up at her with narrowed black eyes, analysing her for a second before she snorted and turned back to whatever she could be preparing in her cauldron.

“It is too late to ask me for a potion, but I have rooms here where you can hide with other unfortunate girls until this thing is born,” she said, pointing at her small, but protuberant stomach.

“No,” the girl shook her head, covering her belly with hands in a protective gesture. “I’m not here because of my child.”

“Then why?”

Belle swallowed hard, taking yet another step into her direction, lifting up her chin and trying to look as threatening as the witch did.

“Do you know anything about a creature called the Dark One?”

“Yeah,” she scorned. “Go away and pray you never cross paths with him. He is a cursed demon who finds some twisted amusement in other people’s pain.”

It wasn’t what she would say about the imp, but then Belle needed to admit she knew nothing about him but what he wanted to show her. And he was a good man whenever they were together, not any monster.

“I’ve heard he makes deals,” Belle continued, as if she hadn’t heard what the woman said.

“That he does, but the price is always too high.”

“Do you know his name?”

The question sounded innocent spoken in the middle of that dirty shack, but both of them knew it actually wasn’t. The witch arched an eyebrow at her, already knowing that Belle must be really mad for wanting to know something like that or just too desperate.

“What do you offer me in exchange for that?”

“Gold,” the girl said, taking a small leather bag from inside her cloak’s pocked and placing it on the table between them. “Ten coins.”

She nodded taking it away before Belle could change her mind and finally dropping the answer that would allow her to have her child forever.

“His name is Rumplestiltskin.”

* * *

 

As soon as Belle got back to the castle that day, she took a long bath and changed into a fine burgundy dress instead of pulling on a nightgown as she usually would do. Gaston would only be back by the weekend, so she took all of his things out of a small chest and filled t with some of her things that she wanted to take away with her.

She sat by the window, clutching a shawl against herself as she waited and when the moon reached the left tower of the castle, she heard a sound behind her and looked back to see the imp standing next to her.

“It’s the last night,” he announced.

“I know. Can we get started?”

“Sure,” the imp smiled taking a seat on her bed and analysing her carefully, noticing the chest in which she rested her feet. “You look very confident you’re leaving this place, anyway.”

Belle reached to pick the small list she had started just to not startle him with an immediate answer, but a smirk already played on her lips as her blue eyes gazed up at him and she started reading.

“Aether?”

“No.”

“Athelstan?”

“Where did you even find this one?” He laughed, amused.

“Rupert?”

“Sorry, dearie.”

Biting down her lip, she pulled the list aside and stood up cupping his face in hands and brushing the hair away from it. He furrowed at the gesture, but she only kept smiling.

“What about… Rumplestiltskin?”

He blinked and an urge to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him took her. Oh, dear gods, she was right! At this point she was really afraid that even the witch didn’t know what she was talking about and she would end up losing her baby to him anyway, but now all she could feel was relief.

“How?” Rumplestiltskin inquired.

“I think I found out that a woman can do anything to keep her child.”

“Very well, you’re as clever as I thought. Exactly the kind of woman I would like to have raising my heir,” he said placing a gentle kiss to the top of her stomach before standing up and doing the very same and kissing her lips. “Forget who you once were now Belle, because as my lady, you’ll learn to never bend your head for anyone.”

Her heart was beating hard and fast, but it was due to happiness. She took his hand, nodding positively, knowing there was a whole future ahead that she couldn’t quite wait to begin.

“I’m ready.”

“Good, I’m too.”


	5. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumple takes Belle to his castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I'm so sorry for the delay! I had this chapter in storage almost ready to go for a long while now, but this last few weeks have been a hell to me. Today I could finally finish it, so I'm really happy. I hope the next one will come sooner.

Belle had never experienced feeling the power of magic before. She had seen Rumplestiltskin using it, of course, but she hadn’t truly felt it, like a spicy gush of wind that burnt her skin deliciously, enveloping her body and making her head spin and everything go dark. At first, she thought she was about to faint, but all the time during the few seconds – which seemed infinity – that Rumple held her and they were teleported somewhere else she could feel his arms around her and hear the swishy little noises around them until she finally felt the ground underneath her feet again.

When Belle opened her eyes, she needed to blink a few times to adjust her vision to these new lights, but then when she got a full sight of the beautiful garden in front of her, she gasped. It was stunning, much more wonderful than anything she had seen back home, even in King George’s castle. And there was in fact another castle in front of the gardens, one which’s architecture was very preserved and looked brand-new.

"Whoa, I wasn't expecting this," she murmured under her breath.

"No?" Rumplestitskin inquired, unlacing his arms from her waist. "Then what were you expecting, dearie?"

"I don't know, maybe a creepy shack in the middle of the woods?" Belle shrugged with a little giggle. "A cavern?"

He arched an eyebrow at her and she could see that in his strange, unique eyes there was a flicker of doubt, as he seemed to be unsure if she was just kidding or not. Well, even thought she had quite exaggerated in her last guess, Belle really expected his home to be nothing like this.

"You really don't know me," Rumple muttered with a small, impish chuckle.

"Well, I want to."

A genuine smile crossed his lips as he offered her his arm and Belle hooked hers on it, allowing the imp to lead her through the garden. She felt so good to be there with him that she couldn’t really find words to ay how happy she was. Belle felt free. Of course, she had made just another deal and she had no idea of what Rumplestiltsking expected of her, but she had chosen it and she would be with her child, so it was all that mattered.

"I quite enjoy classy, beautiful things, you'll find out,” the imp started. “I'd say I'm a collector of many sorts."

"Interesting," Belle grinned back at him. "Your garden seems lovely, even in the dark."

"You can explore it better tomorrow morning,” he promised.

They walked towards the castle and Belle wondered where the chest with her things had been transported to – or if Rumplestiltskin cared to bring it at all, which she hoped he did. There were torched illuminating the way and they reached the great hall quickly, still arm by arm. The doors opened with magic to allow them in and he took the shawl from around her shoulders, settling it aside with his leather coat before gesturing for Belle to follow him along the corridors.

His castle was amazing. The walls weren’t rustic, showing the stones like in King George’s home, but painted in beautiful colours and adorned with gold, the richest curtains, covering the windows. Rumplestiltskin lead her to what seemed to be a large living room with a beautiful fireplace, a few elegant seats and small, delicate spinning wheel. Near it, there was a petite blonde woman of slim features, wearing a black gown with a dark blue ribbon tied to her waist. When she hear their steps she turned around and her faced lighted up as if she had seen something spectacular.

"Master, you're back!"

"Go fetch all the household, I have someone important to introduce you to," Rumplestiltskin answered with a nod.

It was her turn to arch an eyebrow inquisitively at him

"A full household,” Belle said, slowly. “Impressive."

"A _collector_ ," Rumplestiltskin reminded her.

And in fact, he proved himself to be one, as a bunch of people started to come into the room. First, the blonde, then a chubby redhead woman and a little boy about seven or eight-year-old maybe and then a tall man. All of them were dressed in fine clothing, even for a working team and looked very lovely and kind which made her smile wider.

"I'd like to introduce you all to the new lady of this castle," the Dark One started with a surge of pride in his voice, pointing at her. "This is Belle, the future mother of my child and you should attend to all of her needs."

"Hello," she waved briefly at them.

There was surprise in those people’s eyes, even in the little boy’s, which made her think that maybe the deal she made with Rumplestiltskin was a very uncommon one. She was glad to know that she was special for him in somehow, but it also brought a lot of questions to her mind that wouldn’t quite leave her alone until she got some answers.

"Belle, these are Mrs. Potts and her son Chip," the imp said, pointing at the redhead and the boy beside her.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, milady," the woman answered promptly, offering Belle a brief curtesy and a sweet grin.

"And these are Mr. Dove and Agathe," Rumple continued.

"Hi," Agathe said simply while Dove bowed to the new lady, but then quickly she turned around to look at the imp. "Do you want me to prepare a room for her, master?"

Rumplestiltskin glanced from the maid to Belle, a little smirk taking the corner of his mouth as he placed a hand on the small of her back.

"No need, she is going to share mine," he answered and Belle felt some blush coming to her cheeks. "But you shall go to the village tomorrow and buy her the most beautiful dresses and shoes you find."

The expression that took Agathe’s suddenly way too pale face – something between disbelief and anger – made Belle feel slightly concerned. She had grown up in a small village where every small thing was an excuse for jealously, so she recognised it easily and Agathe had that kind of look in her eyes. Belle just wondered why.

"Alright," the maid whispered, glancing down at the floor.

"Come on, dearie,” Rumplestiltskin said to Belle. “I'll show you our room."

He took her to a spiral staircase that opened to another floor and kept up to yet another. They followed the hallway of the second one towards the last door and he opened it for her allowing Belle in. It was a very wonderfully decorated chambers with wine coloured walls, a giant four-post bed with red and gold covers and black furniture. She looked back at him with a stunned expression as she pressed down a hand to her stomach, feeling a happy kick come from the child.

"It's beautiful," Belle praised. "Your home is way richer than King George's whole kingdom."

"King George is a loser, I'm not."

"I can agree with you," she laughed.

They stood there awkwardly for a few seconds more, him tapping his own fingers together and her only petting her own belly. Belle had waited for this moment for such a long time that now she was there and didn’t know what to do. A part of her wanted to go back to that teasing moment they had yesterday in hers and Gaston’s chambers, but a bigger – and more sensate – part of her knew it was probably not a good idea to start things this way. For her surprise, however, she didn’t need to start a conversation herself and end-up saying something silly that would ruin everything, because Rumplestiltskin decided to do it.

"Do you want something to eat?" He inquired. "Ask anything and you'll have it."

"Roasted duck and pie for dessert?" Belle tried and the words had barely left her mouth when he snapped his fingers and made a table for two appear near them, full of amazing looking food. She arched an eyebrow at him. "No deals for it?"

"You're my lady now, you'll never have to make another deal."

It was good to hear that, after everything she had been through, it made her feel like this had been definitely the right and not just for her child but for herself too. She was going to be free and cared for. Belle smiled taking a seat by the table and filling a plate with all the wonderfully-smelling food he had made appear and taking some bits of it, while he served himself and watched her through heavy eyelids.

"It's delicious," the girl said, licking her own lips and enjoying the taste of the roasted duck. When she looked up, Belle noticed that he was staring openly at her with an amused look on his face. "What?"

"Have you been mistreated Belle?"

A sigh left her. From all things, she hated talking about her past and now that this past included Gaston and his stupid family and friend, she hated talking about it even more.

"I have already told, no one has ever cared for me apart from my late mother," she whispered, almost as if this was a secret. "And we were very poor, so a meal like this was never seen in our house."

"I'm sorry," Rumplestiltskin said, sincerely.

"I'm over it," Belle shrugged, leaning back against her chair and placing both hand on top of her belly. "He or she is never going to get through the same, right? That's all that matters."

He nodded and filled his mouth with potatoes, then they went back to eating in silence. Everything tasted incredible, nicer than any meal she had ever eaten in her life, even when she was at court, which made her think that in the next day when they realised that she was gone, King George and Gaston were probably going to be mad. The thought was somewhat delightful to Belle. She had always thought it was wrong to find some pleasure in seeing other people’s despair, but in this case, after what they did to her, she considered that they deserved it. And she wasn’t going to be missed at all in the end.

She finished her meal, ate a big piece of pie and drank some of the water Rumple poured to her. Belle knew that she should be looking really satisfied, by the smile on his face all the time he watched her. He tilted his head, a question obviously forming on his mind.

"Would you like to take a warm bath?"

"Very much."

Rumplestiltskin stood up, and she thought he may lead her to someplace where she could do it, so Belle did the same, but what the imp did next kind of surprised her a bit.

"Agathe," he yelled to the room, snapping his fingers and making the door open with magic to reveal the confused maid standing in there.

"Yes, master?"

"Take your lady to the bath chambers and help her with whatever she needs," the Dark One commanded, barely casting a glance at Agathe as he spoke. "Help her out of the bathtub, she is in a delicate condition."

"I'm not ill, Rumple," Belle remarked with a roll of her eyes. "But thank you for all the concern."

He made a scorning sound at this, as if she was being extremely silly, but said nothing else, letting her follow Agathe out of the room in silence. She had gotten used to have maids helping her to do simple things like this all the time when she was at Gaston’s castle, but Belle never thought it would be the same here, although Rumplestiltskin had promised that she would be treated as a queen once she was living with him.

She guessed that those fancy things weren’t for poor people like her. Belle could never truly understand most of rich people’s choices, she had always thought that everything someone needed was a simple life full of love and some books. Nothing else.

Agathe didn’t spoke to her until they were inside a small room with walls and floor made of black marble. A bathtub filled with hot water was already waiting for her in the centre of it and a piece of furniture was settled beside it, with some towels, aromatic herbs and a pile of clean clothes.

"I think he wants you to wear this," the maid said to Belle, taking a white nightgown from the top of it and showing it to her, while she bent down to wet her fingertips inside the tub. "Is the water warm enough?"

"Yes, thank you, Agathe."

Nodding, she pulled the gown back in place, avoiding Belle’s eyes at all costs.

"Should I help you undress?"

"Just untie my corset, please, I can do the rest on my own."

Agathe seemed to be thankful by her choice and quickly did her work, before slipping out of the bath chambers and leaving Belle alone to free herself from the rest of her clothing and clean herself. She quite enjoyed her bath time, washing her hair and just relaxing a bit. It had been quite a day and she took a few moments to simply seat there and imagine how her life in that castle would be.

She was very eager to meet the child she was expecting. Belle felt its heavy weight within her and it filled her heart with a love she couldn’t quite describe, he or she was going to have her on the wrap of its small hands from the very moment it was born. To think she had really intended to give it away now, made her feel like a crazy woman, but she had never truly intended in falling for it. Nor she did intend in falling in love for its father.

Belle sighed, getting out of the bathtub and drying her dripping body with one of the towels as she wondered if Rumplestiltskin felt the same way. A part of her insisted in saying that she was being silly, because he was surrounded by beautiful women – and someone who had such a gorgeous-looking maid as Agathe was would never love her. Maybe what he felt for her was pity and maybe he had only brought her there because of their baby.

At this point, she couldn’t know, but as Belle made her way back to the chambers they were now sharing she told herself that he would never have asked her to share his room if he didn’t have any interest in her. And well, they had lain together in the past, there must be something in there.

"Rumplestiltskin?" She called, knocking on the door, unsure of what to do.

It opened with magic and she found him sat by his desk, writing on a piece of parchment, already dressed for bed on a long nightshirt.

"You may come in and out without permission, darling Belle,” the imp reminded her. “You're not a prisoner."

"Right," she murmured, taking some few steps in and hearing the door close behind her, which made her jump, startled, and him leave his writing to walk carefully towards her, an amusement look, on his face.

"I want you to feel home, I mean it."

"I know, it is just...” Belle breath in and out, slowly, chewing her lower lip, trying to find the right words to express her feelings. “I've never felt home anywhere before."

He stretched out a hand, touching her cheek tenderly and she felt her eyes get full of tears. When Rumplestiltskin looked at her like that she really felt like she was special, she wanted to reach up for his lips and lose herself in him, but she didn’t want to be the one to the take the first step and when he looked away and dropped his hand to the side, she decided it was better not get any hopeful.

"I would offer you a glass of whiskey,” he started, awkwardly, “but that wouldn’t be good for the child."

"That's alright, I don't think I know how to drink," she chuckled, nervously. "I've only ever tasted wine one or twice, but just a sip."

"There is a lot of things I must teach you then, you've seen very little of the world and I want to give it all to you."

Her heart flipped happily at those words and she felt a strange wave inside her womb, their child probably playing while they talked. It had a weird timing for awakening at the night, when she most wanted to sleep.

"Do you mind if I go to bed?" Belle inquired.

"No."

"Will you lay with me?"

"I'll only sleep by your side, if that's what you’re asking," Rumple answered as she climbed up the bed.

He took a moment before doing the same, watching her get comfortable under the covers, hugging a pillow to get in a position which her belly wouldn’t fell so heavy through the night and she could maybe get some real sleep. The imp laid on his side, staring at her back until he slid a hand around her middle, cupping her stomach.

"Is that alright to you?"

"Yeah, it's nice," Belle replied, a little smile coming to her lips.

"Good,” he whispered back. “Nice is good."

A little giggle came up her throat and she closed her eyes, feeling him stroke her skin through the soft fabric of her gown. It was the closest to happiness she had ever felt.

"Sweet dreams, Rumplestiltskin."


	6. Lady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chip shows the castle to Belle.  
> Belle starts to learn how to be a proper lady.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got excited with the plot last time I was writing so, here we have a new chapter quickier than I expected.

Never before Belle had such a good night of sleep, maybe it was the fact that she was finally somewhere she wanted to be or the fact that her back hadn’t hurt, but even the baby had stayed quiet and allowed her to sleep. She woke up with a content sigh, feeling the sun bathing her face and a lazy smile spread on her lips as she groped the bedsheets beside her, trying to find the other body that should be there, however, she was the only one on the bed that morning.

Belle sat up, letting the bed covers slid down, pooling around her waist as she yawned and heard a rustle on the other end of the room and looked around to find one of the maids opening up the curtains to allow more light inside the room. Sliding off the bed, she seemed too caught up the redhaired woman’s attention and she turned around, smiling at her.

"Good morning, milady,"

"Mrs. Potts, right?" Belle inquired and the maid nodded. "Where is Rumplestiltskin?"

"Out for a deal," she explained, promptly heading towards the table for two set in the middle of the chambers where a great of amount of food was and pouring Belle a cup of tea. "He said you should have fruits for breakfast. It's good for the baby."

"Mm."

She didn’t know what else to say. Belle had never been cared for this way, nobody had ever left instructions about what she should eat or not and even though she was a bit sad to not find him in bed with her, the fact that Rumple took some of his time to let the household know he worried about her and their child was enough to bring a smile to her lips as she filled a plate with strawberries and papaya.

The tea tasted delicious and the fruits seemed to be brought from warmer places where they grow to be as sweet as possible. She ate in silence as Mrs. Potts walked around the chambers, making the bed and taking things out of the closet, setting them in a dressing table.

When she was almost finished, the maid appeared with a beautiful mint green maternity gown in hands, one of the finest pieces Belle had ever seen in her life, even after months living in a court.

"What do you think about this dress?"

"Beautiful," she answered.

"Wonderful," Mrs. Potts smiled. "You'll be wearing it today."

Drinking the rest of her tea, Belle reached for the bed where a fine shift was laid alongside a new pair of shoes and everything else she needed to look as beautiful as no greater queen had ever looked. She smiled, stripping her nightgown and pulling on the shift and then allowing Mrs. Potts to help her to slid inside the dress and lace it on her back.

The maid led her to a chair when they were finished and brushed Belle’s hair as she slid her feet inside the pair of white shoes that had been given to her. They had really small heels and felt comfortable as cotton. Mrs. Potts pulled her hair into a half-up style just like the one she was wearing when she arrived the castle in the night prior and Belle smiled at her image in the mirror.

"What should I do?" She asked as she rose to her feet, both hands caressing her bump.

"Do?"

"Yeah," Belle nodded. "Do you have any task for me? Should I help cleaning or accompany someone on a hunt?"

Mrs. Potts blinked and them exploded into a deliciously melodic laugher, that Belle didn’t quite understand. Everybody always had tasks for her, so why should it even sound funny to anyone? The maid probably noticed that she was staring at her very confuse and ceased her laughing with a sigh, smiling fondly at her.

"Oh, milady, you don't have to do any of those things," she assured her, touching Belle’s shoulder affectionally. "Chip can take you to have a look around if you want to."

"It would be lovely."

She nodded, but didn’t really moved to do anything else, only kept her glance fixed on Belle as if she was trying to analyse her, but in a good way. Belle decided that she liked Mrs. Potts very much. She was kind and funny and she was a mother too, so Belle guessed the two of them could have so good talks in the future.

"Master must like you very much, he never brought a woman home, even more one with child."

"We made a deal," Belle shrugged. "Five deals, actually."

"He must _really_ love you then, he never does more than one deal with each person. Some few times he does two, but it is very rare."

Feeling some blush come to her cheeks, Belle looked down at the floor, feeling the first movement of the day coming from the child within her. She couldn’t quite describe the happiness she felt whenever the babe showed her any signs of their existence and she had seen the same happiness reflected in Rumplestiltskin’s face too, which always made her twice as cheerful.

It was the living proof that she had at least for one night belonged to the Dark One, to the most powerful sorcerer in all realms and to the man she couldn’t deny that she loved more every day.

"He said he wanted an heir."

"Well, master has always been very lonely," Mrs. Potts answered, tilting her hear and appearing to find that Belle’s dress wasn’t really aligned. "It doesn't surprise me that he wishes for a family."

She pulled the right side of the collar up and the left side down, hiding the thin fabric of her shift under the green dress before nodding in approval

"Ready."

"Thank you."

The maid gesticulated for Belle to follow her and they got out of her chambers, reaching for the corridor and then for the staircase, where Mrs. Potts stopped, looking around until she found her son playing with a woodened toy horse on the floor below theirs.

"Chip," she shouted out. "Chip, come here, boy!"

He looked up at them, seeking from where the voice came and dropped his toy to the floor, rushing up the stairs towards his mother and throwing his arms around her legs, offering her a childish smile.

"Mama?"

"Take Lady Belle to a walk around the castle," Mrs. Potts instructed. "Show her everything."

"Alright," he said, stepping away from her and grabbing Belle’s hand. "Come with me, milady."

Smiling, she followed him down the stairs and Chip started by giving her a proper tour of that floor. He indicated the chambers that belonged to each member of their household – that was their floor – and the larder, them, he took her down, showed Belle the dining hall, the treasure room – which she really loved, because there were a lot of interesting things – the kitchen and everything else.

The castle was even larger than she thought it to be in the night prior, there were a lot of empty guest bedrooms and other chambers which use she simply didn’t understand, but that after seeing so many incredible things in the last few months, she was sure that were probably important. Belle got really excited, however, when Chip finally took her to the garden and she could see all of its beauty in the lights of the morning.

Chip pointed the small houses near the gates, saying they were Master’s stables and that if she wanted he would take her to see the horses later, he even added that he had a pony himself and always fed him with the reddest of the apples. She smiled, admiring the carefully adorned bushes and feeling happy to notice the surroundings of the castle seemed to glow with life, unlike everything she had seen on her kingdom where all you could see before the woods was the grey walls and floors of the villages.

She felt the urge of taking off her shoes and feeling the grass under her feet, but Belle did no such a thing, only kept following the little boy who talked cheerfully about the property and distractedly ran a hand up and down her stomach, more eager than never to see her child’s face and introduce him or her to this amazing world.

“This place is very beautiful,” Belle pointed out as they walked towards a very flowery area. “Have you been living here for long?”

“Yes, milady, ever since my father was killed in a fire,” Chip answered. “Master made a deal with mama and brought us to live here when I was just this tall.”

He gesticulated with a hand to his knees which made Belle laugh. She found it was funny the way children saw some things, like their notion of time and measures, when she herself was very young she used to get confused between "yesterday" and "tomorrow", so she would say that she did things tomorrow and would to something yesterday. Colette, her mother, always had a good laugh with that.

“Tell me, Chip," she started, slowly, "what do you think about Master?”

“He is funny, I like him.”

Arching an eyebrow, she tilted her head. It wasn't the adjective she would use to describe Rumplestiltskin and it made Chip's opinion about him even more interesting.

“Really?”

“Yeah, sometimes he makes funny voices and pretends to be mad at people, even mama, but I know that he is really nice, because he always brings me things from his travels and he always gives me more blueberries when mama says I shouldn’t have more.”

A smile appeared in her lips as she stretched out a hand to run it through the bushes, touching the leaves. It appeared that the Dark One wasn't as dark as people thought, in fact he was as nice as she had suspected from the start, good with children and a bit of a loner, just like her.

“You’re a sweet boy, Chip,” Belle said, petting his red hair. “Is that your real name? Chip?”

“Obviously not,” he responded with a chuckle. “My name is Charles, but my mama started calling me Chip, because I’ve chipped a tooth. It fell last year, but I still keep it. Do you want to see?”

“Maybe later.”

With a shrug, he grabbed Belle's hand and dragged her all the way to the flowers. That was when she noticed that the blonde maid who had helped her yesterday was kneeled on the ground, cutting some red roses and pulling the to a big basket she had by her side.

“Agathe,” Chip called, waving at her. “I’m showing the castle to Lady Belle.”

The maid looked up at them, a weird kind of grin stamped on her face.

“Well, that’s very nice of you, Chip.”

“Mama says she has a babe on her tummy,” the boy pointed out, poking one of the sides of Belle's stomach.

“I see,” Agathe nodded, then turned to Belle with an inquisitive look. “Doesn’t walking around tires you, milady?”

Belle took a second to think about it. She didn't really feel tired of walking, although sometimes her feet would get swollen and sore after a long day and she obviously felt the weight of the baby, but even so, it wasn't an exhausting task like Agathe made it seem to be.

“Not really,” Belle shrugged. “I think the child isn’t really much heavy.”

Chip looked between the two of them and something seemed to click on his mind, because he tapped a finger to the maid's shoulder with a giggle.

“Mama says Agathe should marry soon or she’ll become a spinster.”

“Chip!”

“Sorry, but it is true, isn’t it?”

Agathe snorted aloud, clearly irritated with the boy's attitude. She folded her arms, narrowing her eyes at him and Belle had to hold herself not to start laughing at how childish she looked like right now.

“Just so you know, I had lots of suitors before I was brought here.”

“Did you make a deal with Rumple, too?” Belle asked, gently.

“We all did,” the blonde sighed. “My oldest sister was dying, she was the only one I had, so in exchange for her life I agreed to become his maid.”

Belle took a seat on the grass by her side and Chip fell to his knees in front of them, interested in their talk. He brushed a strand of hair away from his forehead, picking one of Agathe’s roses and starting to break the thorns from its stalk distractedly. Belle offered the maid the sincerest, but also one of the saddest smiles she had and that because she could feel Agathe’s pain perfectly. She too had been a desperate soul the imp came to help.

“I know how hard it is,” she said. “My original deal with Rumple was to give him my child once it was born so he would help me and my life would be spared.”

Agathe furrowed, cutting some daises from the bush behind her and placing them on the basked right above the roses.

“I don’t think this was something I could do,” the maid started. “I would never trade away a child of mine.”

“Yeah,” Belle answered, a bit resentful of herself, “now that I know how it feels to carry this baby within me and now that I _love_ it, I can tell the very same.”

_That_ was the reason she was there, after all. She couldn’t be separated from her child by any means. When she did that first deal with Rumplestiltskin she was too desperate to see clearly and she was too much of a silly girl too, she had no idea of what it was like to be a mother. Belle felt a kick on the lower of her belly and tears came to her eyes. It was a reassurance, that now she was doing things right, both for herself and for the baby.

“I bet you’re hoping for a boy, it is what every man wants,” Agathe continued. “I’m sure you’ll feel like you’ve failed Master if you birth him a daughter.”

“I – I haven’t considered that,” Belle immediately responded, covering her belly with both hands and feeling a sudden rush of fear take her. “Do you think he is expecting me to have a boy?”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure he is.”

“I think it doesn’t matter,” Chip interfered. “Master just wants a babe, right? Mama says he wishes for a family only.”

Belle smiled fondly at him. He was a nice boy and she was happy to know that her child would have him as a friend while growing up, however she had lived time enough at court to know that the maid spoke the truth. Rumplestiltskin wouldn’t have brought her there to have a little girl playing with dolls on his great hall. _No_ , he wanted an heir, he had been clear enough.

“Your mother is really wise, Chip, but I think that, in this case, Agathe is right,” Belle answered. “Gaston would have wanted a boy too.”

“Who is Gaston?” Agathe inquired.

“My husband.”

She pulled on a confused expression.

“Are you married?”

Mouth falling open, Belle realised she couldn’t call Gaston her husband anymore and that was both amazing and strange at the same time. She was still wed to that man in the eyes of people and the gods, but she would never see him again, so she must think of him as dead.

“I was, but it was an arranged marriage, none of us were happy.”

“It must have been awful.”

“Believe me, it was.”

Agathe nodded, rising up on her feet and taking the basket up with her. She shook the dust from her skirts and fixed her blonde wavy hair back into a braid before looking down at them again.

“Well, if you excuse me, I need to go back to my duties and I think you should go back to your private tour.”

“I probably should,” Belle agreed, accepting Chip’s helping hand to stand up. “See you later.”

* * *

 

Belle had found some books on her chambers. Most of them were about magic and potions, so Belle discarded them quickly, but there were also some quite nice adventures and she picked one to read by the fire at night. She settled herself on a comfortable chaise, enjoying the silence of the room as she devoured the story, sometimes reading aloud the greatest scenes for her child to hear. It was a good distraction, and the fact that she was left alone to do it, was even better, but it didn’t really last long, as the door swung open and one of the butlers peeked a look inside.

“Milady?” He called. “Can I interrupt your reading?”

“Of course, Mr. Dove,” Belle said, pulling the book down. “What can I help you with?”

He took some few steps into her direction, stopping awkwardly in the middle of the room. Belle thought that he was a funny man, mostly because he looked all serious and dangerous, dressed in black and white like a brave knight, but was actually very shy and spoke very little.

“Mrs. Potts would like to know what you want to have for dinner and which colour of china she would use for the afternoon tea,” he informed.

“Anything she chooses is good for me,” she replied, simply.

The butler cleaned his throat, folding his hands on his back.

“I’m afraid she says you should decide. You’re the new lady of this castle and she would like very much for you to start acting like one and give some commands.”

Belle sighed. She was wearing the most beautiful gown, living in an amazing castle, but yet, she felt the same, as if she was still a peasant. Belle had no idea how to be anything else other than that and she didn’t know why Rumple expected her to suddenly become a lady, when not even Gaston did that. But well, Gaston really only wanted her to keep her mouth shut.

“Mr. Dove, can I confide you something?”

“Of course, milady.”

“I think I don’t know how to do that,” Belle murmured, worrying at her lip. “Some months ago, I was just a peasant and even when I became a part of King George’s court, I never gave commands to anyone. I have no idea what to order for food and I don’t even know what colour of china we have here.”

Dove seemed to take a second to think, then he tilted his head a bit a smile curving his lips.

“It seems you need to be trained, but don’t worry, you’ll find your way,” he guaranteed. “Now straighten your back, always hold up your chin and speak as if you are totally confident of what you’re saying.”

Adjusting herself on the chaise Belle felt a bit more confident. Maybe that was what she needed, guidance. Maybe if she became the lady Rumplestiltskin hoped her to be, then he would open up to her and be clear about his feelings towards her and maybe he even wanted to try again if this first baby wasn’t the boy he hoped it to be.

“Alright. What else?”

“Mrs. Potts makes a delicious salmon if you’d like to try,” Dove suggested. “And we have green, gold and blue china.”

“Salmon and blue then,” she said, decided. “Thank you, Mr. Dove.”

“You’re welcome, _Lady_ Belle.”

They exchanged a grin and he left he room, closing the door behind himself and allowing Belle to go back to her reading.

* * *

 

She dined alone that night with only the household as company. They weren’t going to seat in the same table as she did to eat, but Belle insisted that they all were going to be a constant part of her life for now on and so she wanted them to be her friends. Belle had a nice talk with them while eating and Chip made some quips that were capable to make her laugh, so when she retired to her chambers, Belle was feeling like her day had been really worth it.

It was already late and she was already in bed when she heard a very distinct sound of a rustle in the room, but didn’t pay any attention to it, until she felt a hand on her leg and almost jumped out of bed, startled and feeling difficulty to breath.

“Enjoying some bedtime reading?”

“Gods, Rumplestiltskin, you almost scared me to death!”

He took the book from her hands and slid to her side, splaying a hand on her belly, all possessive and protective. She held it in place, pressing gently to make the baby kick for him, because she loved to see how his face lighted up when it happened.

“I’m sorry, precious Belle,” the imp apologised. “How is our little one today?”

“Very calm, which considering how energic they are, is very surprising.”

“I think it means they like the castle,” he shrugged.

“You could be right.”

Rumple stroked her a few times before standing up and walking towards the settee in front of he window. He slowly unlaced his boots under her glance and Belle decided that he probably used magic to pull it on every day because he couldn’t imagine him losing that amount of time with those laces.

“I’ve talked to Mrs. Potts,” he began as he kicked off one of the shoes. “She said you’ve done pretty well on your first day.”

“I didn’t know I was being tested,” Belle said with an arched eyebrow.

“You weren’t, I just want to make sure that you’ll learn how to be the Dark One’s lady properly.”

She bit down her lip, sliding down from the bed and making her way to him with curiosity shining on her eyes. Belle felt like she couldn’t take any more time without knowing what he wanted and expected from her.

“So that’s what I am?” She inquired. “Yours?”

“You’re not my slave, if that’s what afflicts you.”

“No, it is not what I meant,” Belle corrected. “Am I yours like a wife belongs to her husband?”

The imp looked up at her, surprised. He had just taken off his other boot and was unlacing his waistcoat, but he stopped at her question. Rumplestiltskin clearly didn’t see that coming but knowing her he should have imagined that she wouldn’t tire until she got the answers she needed.

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Maybe because that’s what I want,” Belle dared to say.

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I do,” she assured him, coming even closer and taking his hands on hers. They still felt the same, calloused and texturized. Unique. “I’ve been yours once and ever since that day I’ve been longing to repeat the experience.”

He opened up his mouth, then closed it without saying anything. She lifted one of her hands to stroke his face and his eyes slid shut a hum of appreciation coming up his throat.

“We had a deal in that occasion,” he insisted to say.

“Well, would you be willing to make another one with me then, Rumple?”

Belle waited for the answer and while she did, she hoped.


	7. The Meaning of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle tries a new deal with Rumple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, everyone, again I'm sorry for the delay, but I'm making up for it with this hot chapter, I hope it is worth the waiting!

"Another deal?" Rumplestiltskin repeated in awe, his face full of surprise before it became sceptical. "What kind of deal could _you_ , offer _me_ , dearie?"

Belle’s hand was still on his face, stroking slowly and he hadn’t pulled away yet, like she had expected him to, so she thought it was a great beginning. He seemed to be enjoying her touch, leaning into it as he smirked at her with mistrust as if he was expecting her to start to laugh at him at any second. She smiled at him, instead, softly and sweetly.

"A very interesting one, from which both of us will get something we want," Belle answered. "If you share my bed as if we were husband and wife today, then I shall become your mistress whenever you want me."

This time around, Rumplestiltskin stepped away from her. His face was an expression of sock, eyes bulging and throat bobbing, Belle thought that it was amusing. She watched as he recomposed himself, pulling on his best indifference mask as he narrowed his eyes at her.

"And what makes you think that I want you to be my mistress?"

"You're lonely and I do think you enjoyed yourself that first night," Belle said, wanting to scream how much she wanted him, herself. She was feeling miserable for having to ask him like this, but she really wanted this affection he could give her, she had never felt as close to someone else’s soul as she did when she laid with the Dark One. "Or maybe you don't and I'm a fool."

Rumple shook his head. He was staring at her in a way that made Belle’s heart swell with emotion. She had never truly expected to feel any of this, not even in her best dreams, when she read those beautiful romances and was carried to beautiful lands when she reached the unconsciousness. It was true, it was real and she really wanted him to feel the same way for her.

"I had the best intentions when we met, Belle. I wanted to help you, not to disgrace you."

Belle blinked. _Gods_ , he was a fool.

She approached him again, touching his arms this time, stroking them slowly with her thumbs, tracing slow circles as she caught his glance. Rumple was afraid, she noticed, not afraid of doing it, but of what that could mean for them.

"Don't you see? I was already disgraced," the lady started. "Yes, I was still a virgin, but I was going to die if it wasn't for you and I would like you to know that I have never thought about our night like me being ravished in exchange for my life. I care dearly for you, Rumple, as I know you care for me."

"You're the mother of my child," he answered simply.

His hands fell to the sides of her belly, nestling his future heir between them, she looked down at the soft mound behind her nightgown, smiling for second. It was the living proof of their love, wasn’t it? Or at least it should be but judging by the way Rumple rubbed her so gently, Belle guessed that somehow it was. She looked up at him and when she did, their foreheads touched, their eyes coming to the same level and she felt the urge of speaking again.

"But that night I wasn't anyone’s mother yet, nor in the night before that," Belle whispered. "You showed me compassion, friendship and kindness when I most needed it, Rumple. I will never forget that."

One of his hands came up to her cheek and they were so close now that Belle had to hold herself not to lean forward and simply kiss him senseless as she wanted to.

"Darling Belle,” the imp breathed, “so mistreated and misunderstood that finds so many good things in an old monster…"

"Rumplestiltskin," she murmured back. "I'm falling for you."

Then she allowed her lips to touch his and it was so good that Belle considered she could be dreaming. They fitted as perfectly this way as did their lower bodies and the kiss was heated too and gave her that cold sensation in her womb which made Belle feel an enormous need of never letting go of him again.

"You are mad, woman," Rumple whispered against her lips, his hands travelling her body as he walked them back to the bed, falling into it with Belle straddling his legs.

"Maybe," she answered, breathless.

Although now Belle was more experienced than when she met Rumple, she found herself being a new kind of nervous. This time around, she wanted this more than she wanted to breath, it was a need, a desire that had built up inside her during those months of loneliness and those small stolen moments between her and the imp.

She could feel all of him, his body pressed against hers, his waistcoat hanging open as if just waiting for her to slid it off. Belle palmed his chest, loving the way it felt beneath her fingertips, warm and different. While her skin was soft, his had this unique texture that she really appreciated.

He kissed her jawline, then down her throat and Belle’s body started to react to his caresses in the most pleasing ways. She was feeling wetness gathering between her thighs as a tightening feeling came from her lower belly and shivers passed through her body. Belle wanted to respond better to his touches, to give the Dark One exactly what he wanted, but although she was a well-read woman, she didn’t have any experience in satisfying a man and had to admit that she was afraid of disappointing him, so what Belle really did was to start slowly.

Her hands caressed his scalp as she moaned lightly, grinding herself against him and taking a groan from Rumple. There was certainly a hard bulge in his breeches and Belle smiled at the proof of his lust for her. She was right, he wanted her as well, as much as he tried to deny.

"Rumplestiltskin..." Belle whimpered as he felt his hands on her thighs, pulling her closer, pressing her body tighter against his. "Do we have a deal?"

Looking up at her, the imp shook his head.

"No."

"No?"

Tilting his head, Rumple touched her hair, stroking slowly as showed a tiny smile for her. It was so human and so kind that she wondered why he pulled on so many masks while talking to people. Here, there was nothing of the flourishes, impish laughs or snarls and Belle decided that this was the best version of him she had yet seen.

"You won't be my mistress, Belle. You deserve better, _always_ ,” Rumplestiltskin said, fiercely. “Dearest, you are the lady of this castle _, my lady_ , nothing else."

Worrying at her lip, Belle toyed with his hair, avoiding his eyes as she felt her cheeks start to flush.

"So, won't you make love to me?"

"Why do you want that, Belle?" The Dark One inquired, full of disbelief. "You should be disgusted, any other would be."

She didn’t understand why he could ever think that. _Yes_ , he was different. _Yes,_ she knew most people feared him, but for Belle, he was nothing of what people thought him to be. And if he was this monster the villagers said he was, then Chip and all the household would be afraid of him and not respect the imp as their beloved master.

"I've told you, I'm falling for you," Belle repeated, kissing his lips again. "Rumple, I think maybe I have been loving you from the first moment I saw you."

"You must be under a spell…" Rumplestiltskin breathed as she ventured herself and tried a soft suck on his throat, just like he had done on hers, making his body shudder.

"Why?"

"Because _no one_ can love me."

These weren’t right. Not for anyone and certainly not for him. Belle had been the kind of person who thought everything was lost for her once, that she was never going to be loved, but he had shown a new world for her, he had picked up her pieces and brought light back to her life, so she wanted to do the same for him. She was being sincere, Belle was pretty sure that she loved him.

"I can," the lady insisted, telling herself to do the right thing as she grabbed the hem of her nightgown and pulled it over her head, leaving her naked to Rumplestitskin. "I'll show you that I can."

His mouth fell open at her bare form. She was still sat on his lap and felt the bulge beneath her twitch with need. _His need for her._ Taking this as a good sign, Belle leaned towards him again, brushing her lips against his and feeling as he lost control of himself, embracing her as they dived into a wet and messy kiss. He devoured her and Belle loved it.

Their mouths worked together in a perfect rhythm that made her heart race and suddenly Belle didn’t care anymore about being good at this or not, she just wanted to do it, she wanted to try, to begin, to offer Rumplestiltskin all the love she had and allow him to teach her the things she didn’t know how to do. The lady pushed his waistcoat down his shoulders and enlaced her arms around his neck as he lavished her shoulder and started to touch her breasts.

Belle had no idea how sensitive her nipples were now, but when Rumple touched them and mainly when he dropped his face down, sucking one inside of his mouth, she yelped, moaning louder than she had done before, feeling herself start to ache between her legs. She held onto his arms and rubbed herself against his thigh, trying to get some pressure, some relief, but if only made her get more frustrated.

Rumplestiltskin looked up at her, smirking as he kept working her breasts with his hands. He touched her lower lip with the tip of his nose and ran his hands up and down her torso, making Belle writhe with need.

“Patience, sweetheart,” he whispered, his voice husky with lust. “I can barely believe you want this… It must be an effect that carrying my child has on you.”

“No,” Belle guaranteed. “It has nothing to do with this. My body aches for you Rumple, my soul aches for your company only. I love being with you and now I want us to be one again.”

He breathed in her words and captured her lips in another kiss as Belle reached for the ends of his shirt, untucking it from his leather breeches and starting to pull in up before his hand stopped her.

“You don’t want to see me, dearest.”

“Oh, yes, I want to,” she assured him. “You are seeing me with no piece of clothing, so it is only fair if I get to see you too.”

“Yes, but you are a beautiful goddess and I’m an ugly monster.”

Shaking her head to him, Belle pulled the shirt all the way up, taking it off to reveal his skinny body. She already knew that he was no knight, but Rumple had the most beautiful green-gold chest she could have expected him too. He was strong and had enough muscles to show that. Belle loved it, she loved all of him and tried to show it by kissing his scaled skin just as he did hers.

“You have no idea of how handsome you are, Rumplestiltskin.”

“Mrs. Potts must have given you the wrong tea today,” he chuckled.

“You’re a fool.”

Reaching between her legs, the imp slid one of his slender fingers deep within her and Belle sighed happily. His thumb came up to touch further in a place that felt so sensitive that Belle thought her whole body would start burning with the intense of her pleasure.

“Oh, Rumple,’ she moaned. “Please.”

He inserted a second finger and Belle trembled. Rumple was cradling her to his chest with his free arm and kissing up and down her collarbone whist moving his fingers in an increasing motion that drove her mad. It was like she was losing control of her own body, her hips rocked against his hand automatically, seeking the release she knew that was to come.

The imp pressed his thumb harder against her nub of nerves, moving his fingers faster within her as he murmured sweet nothings to her ear. He could have told her the secrets of his magic in that moment and she wouldn’t remember, because Belle was too lost in the bliss he was bringing her to even register the words that came out of his mouth.

Parting her lips, Belle tried to tell him how good it was, but then Rumple bent to suck her nipple again and his thumb did a different movement and she broke with a loud cry. It was good. So much better than the first time, so freeing and wild, as if all the pleasure had been heightened somehow.

Panting for breath, she fell against Rumple, hugging him tight as she felt their child squirm within her, probably angry for being awakened this way, but the baby needed to forgive her, because right now, mama needed this and she still needed more. She needed Rumplestiltskin. All of him.

“Are you alright?” The imp inquired, petting her hair very gently.

“Yeah,” Belle murmured. “Thank you. It was incredible.”

“Was it what you wanted?” Rumple asked. “Are you satisfied now, dearie?”

Looking up at him, Belle grinned. She touched his lips with the pad of her thumb, enjoying how much his reptilian eyes had darkened with his desire.

“No,” she answered. “I still want you. That is what this is about, us being together.”

He waved his head at her, as if he disapproved her wishes, but moved them, switching positions so Belle was laying on the bed, her hair spread on the pillows, her legs open and Rumplestiltskin between them, holding himself up carefully to not press her stomach. She reached down for his breeches, but he was quickier than her and with a flourish of his hand and a gush of magic, they were gone, leaving him bare to her.

“Ah,” Belle exclaimed as she touched the hard length of his touch. “You’re so beautiful, Rumple.”

“No, dearest,” he whispered, taking her hand in his and closing it around his member, teaching Belle wordlessly how to pump him. “ _You are_ the beauty in here, I’m only a lonely beast taking advantage of you.”

_Fool_ , Belle echoed in her mind as she stroked him. She watched as his eyes closed and he groaned deeply, trusting forward enjoying her unskilled touches as she tested the power her hand had on him.

“Gods, sweetheart, I need to be inside you.”

“Yes,” she answered, allowing him to adjust himself, aligning them.

His tip touched her folds and Belle’s breath quickened, the remembrance of the pain she felt in the first time coming up to her mind, however not only she knew that today it wouldn’t hurt but it also didn’t. When Rumplestiltskin slid inside of her, all Belle felt was pleasure.

Both of them gasped at the sensation of being joined again. It was an unexplainable joy, it wasn’t just a pack of overwhelming sensations, it was more, it was beautiful and pure.

“Ah, Belle, you feel so good,” the imp groaned in ecstasy.

She nodded, wanting to let him know that it was the same for her. Belle lifted her hips tentatively and her eyes rolled back. He filed her just the right way and now Belle felt complete, about to reach the heavens. Rumplestiltskin pulled all the way out and them thrusted back into her, starting a rhythmic friction between their bodies that felt twice as delightful as his fingers did.

Lifting her legs, Belle pulled him deeper, hearing as he gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath, thrusting a bit faster. She caught his hands on hers, enlacing their fingers together, causing the imp to look straight into her eyes, his mouth falling open as he panted for breath.

“Darling Belle,” Rumple breathed. “You have to come for me, I can’t hold for much longer.”

Bending down, he kissed her lips, sneaking a hand between their joined bodies and finding that small little place that would made her whole body shake with pleasure. Her back arched from the mattress, the power of his quick thrusts and his magical thumb rubbing her, taking her breath away. Belle felt herself clenching around him, dripping and aching, burning until she exploded.

A hard kick came from the right side of her belly, a very annoyed babe telling her that now it was enough, but Belle was too overwhelmed to pay attention to it at the moment. The sensations had become liquid. She felt hot and cosy, Rumple’s now erratic thrusts prolonging it. Belle held him as close as possible, attentively staring at him as he found his release too.

The imp threw his head back, a deep moan coming from him as he spilled his seed within her. Then there was silence and the sound of their raggedy breaths echoing in the large chambers as he softened and eventually slipped out, letting himself fall beside Belle, catching a curl of her hair between his fingertips.

“You will regret this in the morning,” Rumple murmured.

“No, I won’t. Stop being so silly,” she whispered back. “Wasn’t it prove enough that I love you?”

Rumplestiltskin gave her a sceptical look.

“Loving someone and sharing their bed isn’t quite the same thing, dearie. I can tell it myself, I always care to have no feelings for the ones I get laid.”

“Oh, no? But for me it is, I would never give myself to someone I didn’t love, not even in deal,” Belle snapped back, feeling tears starting to fill her eyes. “So yes, even in that first night I loved you.”

Turning around on the bed, she pulled the covers up, her body starting to cool as she cried in silence. There were two options left for her, Rumple could be as afraid of showing his feelings as he was of making love to her earlier or he could actually be the heartless Dark One people thought him to be and, if the answer for her questions was the second, then she could consider her heart broken.


End file.
